A COiMMERCIAL TRAVELLER IN RUSSIA. -^--- An" 'English' commercial traveller had a yery. curious experience whilo travelling, in Russia' on olne of his perifdljical visit.s iB' quest of orders. Whoa he appeared onr the platform of nicertain railway. station, h. no ;"ticed-tho ofllciuls looking curiously 't --him, and after a few nlillnutes a-dvanced and intimated courteously {hat there was at special saloon at the. Englishman's service. "; It has been reserved for a gentleman, who, at the last moment countermanauded the order, so the Englishman may as well use it. lie would have it all to himself.. and no extra fare will be, a-sked," said the ofilcial. Although he marvelled greatly at the strange ly- .corrrteous offer, the Englishman was not slow to accept it. "I sup pose they mistake: me for some big gun,'" he chuckled as he settled him self luxuriously among the cushions, " but tha.'s their fault, I ant not going to enlighten them." " You wotulld not have felt so com fortable," sai...

IRISH TOBACCO. --. Tobacco-growing in Ireland was a matter which attracted a great deal " of attention a couple of years ago, and: the Department of Agriculture ,for Ireland has been prosecuting ex .,?,perituents since, and has now for disposal, a ,quantity of tobacco man ufactured from the crop grown in various parts of the island in 1900. The 'Irish lent has been manufactur. ed, Into l;ug, roll, cut cavendish, bird's eye, cigars, and cigarettes, and these are ollered for sale. The crop of 1890 sold, after payment of the duty of 8s, per pound, at a price suffciently good to make tobacco growing in Ireland a prolitable crop hhoe.tobacco made from the crop 'of '01900 id not by any means so strong as that, of 1891) and, having been rgrown and manufactured by a spec lilally-appoined expert. -should fetcn a tbotter price. The fault with the first crops was that the leave?s grew too roarseo and the nmanufactured article 'was strong in taste.-Coueptry Life.

OUR RAILWAY. The Minister of Railways has forwarded a letter to the shire council stating that the Alexandra Railway Construction District and Trust were constituted by the Governor-in-Council on the 22nd inst. The Minister notified councillors that the first meeting of the trust was called for Monday next, when ooqncillora will form themselves into a trust, and proceed with the initiative business. - The shire secretary has received about sixty-'names from men wishing to be registered for'employment on the line. The following uaragraph appeared in the "Age" of yesterday:-" Pr paiatilons for starting the Alexandra township railway, 4j miles in length, are well in hand for starting work on Wednesday next, by which date it is expected that the railway construction trust, the first meeting of which has' been convened for 3rd August, will have taken all necessary action to admit of the department entering on the land and starting work. The legal preliminaries have been put through in th...

T Caesh House Is Offering Special Value for This Month ! All the Stock will be Markes-at Great Reductions. CALL &amp; INSPECT ! NUMBER of BARGAINS to be Secured. P ces A to Suit the Season. NEWSAGENCY. A Fresh Lot of Books and Magazines Just Arrived; JOHNSON, GROCER, DRAPER AND NEWS AGENT. THE RED HOUSE (REGISTERED). THIS House is noted for the Excellent Quality and Large Assortment of Foot wear always in Stock. Fresh Consignment of New Goods are Continually Arriving, Com. prising all the Most Seasonable and Up-To Date Goods. Our Prices are Right. Repairs A Speciality. TIlE RED HOUSE, GRANT STREET, ALEXANDRA. EW A COLLINS 'FACTS I , Has Some Special Lines in BOOTS and SHOES Everything is aosolute NEW. No OLD STOCK to dispose of. Come and Inspect and then compare MY Prices and Quality with OTRER establishments. No Company Governs my Business, consdquently I can sell cheaper. Thomson's and M'Murtne's Best Goods only stocked REPAIRS AND MADE-TO-ORDER BooTS A SPECIAL1TY. L .MISS COL...

TIhe a ýPFarr s Rerniecly for SCOUG2TS, Oci ~ W,9 ASTH1A, &amp;, CON1SUMPTION, Has the Largest Sale of any -Chest 'Medicine in. the World. . Those who have taken this medicine are amazed at its wonderful influence. Its healing power is marvellous. Suflerers from any form of Dronchitis. Cough, Difficulty of Breathing, Hoarseness. railt or Sorenel,; in the Chest, experience delightful and immediate relief; and to those who are subject to Colds on the Chest it is invaluable. as i effects a Complera Cure. It is most comforting in allaying irritation in the throat and giving strength to the voice, and it neither allows a Cough or Asthma to become chronic, nor Consumnption to develop. Cunuocmption has never been known to exist where "Coughs" have been property treated with this medicine. No house should he without it, as. taken at tihe beginning a dose is generally sufficient, and a Complete Cure is certain. _.l Q ew'aor? Qo bfP XIiplae3s .sol?M o a3 The roeat success of HEARNE'S BRON...

News and Notes. Up. to going to press the rainfall for the month was 1'83 inches. Whether resulting from a sprain or from rheumatic pains, there is nothing so good for a lame shoulder as Chamberlain's Pamr Balm. Apply it freely and rub the parts vigorously at each application and a quickl cure is certain. For sale by C. J. Christie, torekeepor. Alexandra. Mlessrs A. A. Piggin and Co., sheep and cattle salecmen, Melbourne, report the sale on account of Mr Itiahard King, of the Aus. tralian Hotel Corowa, to ,Mr Thomas, of Mansfield at a eatisfactorv figure. DOs'T CocGta.-i-elief can be obtained im-. mediately. Use ''KEATING'S COUGH LOZENG(ES"-well known as the utterly uno rivalled Cough iemo::dy. Strongly recom mended by m:anyeminent physicians. They at once check the coulh and remove the cause without any after effect; the most delicate ,an therefore take them One lozenge alone given ease-one or two at bedtime ensnrcs rest. Bolds overywhcre in tins ld84d. gacl G. A. Cookson, Auctione...

Correspondence. [We do not hod oursolve. responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents]. TO THE EMTOR OF TIIF SPANDAbD. Silt,-Kindly permit 1eo to point out some grave defecta in Professor Franklin Peterson's hand-book on the Rudiments of Music, Its tile gentleman hias not taken any lotiiu of Imy pri ate COlllnilllc;ttion fur .;:rrly the musical publio: f Victoria should he able to obtain up-Lto-?:tt infor Smtions, not pedintic, obsolete and faulty Instru'e'ins throiigh the ''mniondl Chair of Music. 'Thel professor sitXto in his hand bck, coto No,. 2 : "The anloption of a quarter-noto, or crotchet, as the starnard of the whole noto or errni-breve.." Now, will the i rofersor kindlyr tonuaure by means of n q'?!viitur tiot, or thirdl.tr, te, old name tripl'0t filinniim P A:,I aiuita, inu nc. tion 41, the profejasor huy, : "Thu acci. dlentals necensary to any key are shown at the beginning-of each linl of the starve in tie key tiignature." \VVll. nmusicrllin, use accident...

OUR RAILWAY. , .?..?. -- ', . .. .Wednesday last was to see 'the coin- mencemont of the long expected.' It never came off, however 'A. start was positively to be made witli tli6 few ntiles ot ?rilway to connecI the tqvyn. There :is a'curtain amount of blistle 'tl be obsorved' in close'proximity to the estation. Men' are engaged at various 'preliminary works and there fire a few Ibfteriri,4 around in anticipation of a job. A number of eamps. are.noticed at various points along the routq, and .everdal' horses appiear to be eatln, their heads off. "Poor Dobbin" must he fed, ditto owners, thereforre the wait ?ill be felt to some extent. Tile delay that has been occasioned will last" but a few days when Mr Reece, tlie engineer in charge of construction, will be prepared to let small contracts to parties • of men and in a very short time things will he very lively between the town and the Road. Already hundreds of rails are being unloaded; at a point nearest-the road, where a qeuantity of...

CUM ARAB~ICPRODUCED BY AKITS Gum arable is an exudation from certain species of acacia. In order to obtain the gum the stem must be cut or perforated so that the juice may exude, and we are told by Mr. Walter Bulase. who has just been investigating the gum-production of German East Africa. that in the majority of cases the necessary per loration is accomplished by ants, without whose labours, therefore, the world would not get its supply of gum arabic-at least with the pre aent ease. Says IMr. Busso:-" Apart from the rare wounds inflicted accidently by man, animals, storms, etc., all pecretion of gum in this country is provoked by ants. The ants perfor ate the bark of the acacia to gain admittance Into the wood, where they lay their eggs in the excava, tions, which are sometimes of con siderable extent. The acacias with soft wood generally show few wounds of this kind ; the hardwood acias are riddled with them, each perforation being marked with a globule of gum. The ant that thus p...

Alexandra DaIry Company. ---+--- Teo annual meeting of the above company *rae hold in the shire haill on Saturday after noon last. Mr J. W. Lockle, chairman of directors, presided, and about 30 share. hold were present. Mr Howell, secretary of the Victorian Batter Factories Company, -'and Mr. Flint, repreaenting the firm of Mesore Mills and Sparrow, of London, were slao present. .INUTES S.'The minutes of the previous annual meet. log were read Ind confirmed on the motion of Mesesr Robb and Lade. ALALaCE-8snrT. The chairman moved that the report and balanoe-sheet be adopted. He said the shareholders were. no doubt, pleased with the balanee-sheet placed before them. The company had just past through a very bad year, andyet they had come out so well, which showed that the directors understood their duties thorcnghly. Their eascess was 'mainly dueo to the company consigning their butter direct to London. Larger factories than that of Alexandra--one not far from thin town-had lost, throu...

IN HIS ELEWNllT. 'An Irishman, out of employment. Went up to an employer and asked for a job. Employer : ' Do you know any thing about horses ? " Pat : " Sure, and wasn't Ot 'orn in a stable I " "Do you know anything about cat tle ?" "Sure, and I'd loike to know phat I don't know I " "And carpontry. Do you know anything about that ? " " Begorra, an' I'd loike to bee the man as would beat me at It.-" " Do you know how to make a venetian blind ? " " Sure, and I'm in my element at that Job." " Just tell me then, how you would make a Venetian bllnd ? " " Sure, and wouldn't 01 Just poke me finger in his eye I " Itussia's yield of petroleum s! a bout .CE8,D00,000 barrels a year,an4 that of the United State. 58,000,C 0 kihrofra.

Resignation of Counc?llor Jennings. -4-~- At the conclusion of the council meeting on Monday last, Councillor Murray said that it would be the last meeting of the council that they would have the pleasure of seeing Councillor Jennings sitting at the table as he intended not to seek re-election. He had found Mr Jenoings a very able councillor. and always had the very highest respect of the council and the people. He wished Councillor Jennings every suncess. Councillor Edwards said he had the highest appreciation of Mr Jennings as a councillor, and was a straightforward and honorable man. Mr Jenoings would leave the table without a stain on his character, and no matter who his successor would be, he would never be able to fill the position so well as Councillor Jennings. Councillor Lade endorsed all that had been said by the previous speakers. Mr. Jennings haa not only been successful as a councillor, but as a member of the Agricul. tural Society, in which he always took a keen intere...

THE STORY OF AN INDIAN ELEPHANT. -- -+- Among the many odd presents re. eelved by Queen Victoria was an elephant, which, when a mere baby, was sent to her by an Indian Prince. Me travelled. (sanys " The Slate" ) as a deck passenger in one of the Indian mail steamers from Dombay and as he had attained but the height of a well-grown calf and was always docile and tractable. he was permitted to have the run of the decks for an hour or two every day. iBy the sailors he was called the " bos'n's mate." owing to the pen chant he had for picking up every loose coil of rope that he could find. and then throwing it over the side, being, as Jack said, " as bad as a naval lieutenant for keeping the decks tidy." Among other acquaintances that he formed was that of the shop's baker whose galley be soon dis covered to be the place of origin of all the sweet dainties with which he was feted. Here he took to making a reguliar morning call. and was re galed with 'a piece of cake. But one morning when...

mom SCOUGHS, ONWCHTIMS, ASTHMA, &amp;C SUMPTIONr W B ... the Largest Sale ofi any Cfiet Medne i in the World. I have taken ahs medicine are aomaed at its wonderful influence. Itsheaflg power is )ygelions. Snlere 5557 form of Bronchias, Cough, Dfiecauj of leftel ring. 1,t oess. Pain or Sorenem In the Chest, eprlnc tlvlfre2ful aod immelda relief; and to thesewo are subjrct to Colds on the Chest it is invaluable, as If -I4c tW a Complete Cere. It is most omfort ing in cahyrng Irritation in th, throat and giving strength to the voice, and it neither allows a Cough or Asthma to becom e hroic. nor Consumption to develop. Consumption has never been known to exist where Coughs" have been properl treaed witCh Athis med-in No houe deQ@iving the almple-mindod, and so getting a sale for an imitat ion whch has none of the beneficial effects t' HEARME'8 BRONOHiTIO CURE has. Consequently it ha? become nocasory to draw your attention to this f Sand to request you In your own Interests to be par...

THE CAT WAS OUT. The following little story was -e. lated to the writer by a rate collect or. He' wpa beginning to doubt the honesty of one of his tenants, who - appeared to be doing no work, and whose rent was already in arrears. Calling on. Monday morning as us ual, he was met at the door by a lit t.l girl, who promptly remarked : "Daddy's out, and so's mamimy I' " H'm I " ejaculated the rate col lector. "Did they leave any inessego.' " Said you was to call again on ?Wednesday," was the reply. The collector was about to depart when he turned and suddenly asked : " Why on Wednesday ? " Now the youngster had heard a little conversation over the break =ast-table that morning, and the truth came out like a flash : " Don't know," she innocently r. plied. " 'less it's 'cos we're a-goin' * fllt o'Toosday I "

'Alexandra Railway Con struction Trust. At the conclusion of the council busi ness on Monday last, the President said they had been authorised by the Govern ment to form themselves into a railway construction trust. The first business was the appointment of a chairman, and he had much pleasure in nominating Com. Lenkie to the position. Com. Leckie had been deeply interested in railways for some time, and could be of great assist anee to the trust with his knowledge of alllway matters, especially as he lived near the town. . Com. Jennings said he had great ples. sure in seconding the motion. Com. Lec. hie had a thorough gripof railway matters and it was only a fitting tribute to that commissioner and the council in placing him in that position. Com. Leckie was the man to fight anything that was found to be going against the Interests of the trust. l'om. Lade said it was a rather peculiar posntion, because Com. Leckie was re tiring (by oefluion of time) from the sonneil in August. and...

Is Offering Special Value for This Month I All the Stock will be Marked at Great Reductions. CALL &amp; INSPECT ! A NUBEPR of BARGAINS to be Secured. P to Balt the Sac on. NEWSAGENCY. A Fresh Lot of Books and Magazines Just Arrived. GROCER, DRAPER AND NEWS AGENT. THE RED HOUSE (R EO 8 STiER D). THIS House is noted for the Excellent Quality and Large Assortment of Foot wear always in Stock. Fresh Consignment of New Goods are Continually Arriving, Com-. prising all the Most Seasonable and Up-To. Date Goods. Our Prices are Right. .ea. ro A Speciality. THE RED HOUSE, GRANT STREET, ALEXANDRA.. SA. COLLINS: "; FACTS I ,H ias Some S ecial Lines in BOOTS and SHOES Everything is absoluteo Nw. No OLD StocK to dispose of. Come and Inspect and then compare MY Prices and Quality with OTHER establishments. No Company Governs my Business, consequently I can sell cheaper. Thomson's and M'Murtre's Best Goods only stocked REPASIB AND MADE-To-OnDER Boors A SPuCIAIrT'. "MIB8 COLLINS desires to info...

Iq xa ndra &amp; ia itandagd NEO TEMERE NEC TIMIDE. FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1908. TuE strides made in the sending of electric messages reached a climax when the wireles3 telegram was invented. Interest in the achieve ment was world-wide, and improve ment was invented until its use was reduced to everyday practi. cability. And, as if to cap all, we have but the other day had an inven tion put forward by an Australian resident that is capable, so it is claimed, of entrapping wireless messages and preventing their transmission, At the moment the latest sensation in connec tion with the " wireless" is furnished by the enterprise of Router's Telegram Company. Although the American Fleet is still in mid-Pacific, we are, by the arrangement of wireless messages, kept fully informed as to the doings and intentions of 'the Fleet, and the Fleet on the other hand is kept well posted up in current Australian'topics. When they arrive here it will be no surprise to find'them posted in Aus tralian ma...